Gibdock Puts Finishing Touches to Sunborn Gibraltar

The 189-room five-star floating hotel Sunborn Gibraltar is due to welcome its first guests in February 2014, after Gibraltar shipyard Gibdock drew on its extensive cruise ship expertise to undertake hull blasting and coating work.

The 142m long, seven deck Sunborn Gibraltar resembles a sophisticated high-end cruise ship or mega yacht. However, while the vessel can move under its own power, it has been designed for sustained mooring alongside, and features its own heavy-duty mooring arms. Berthing space is being prepared alongside Gibraltar’s Ocean Village complex.

The vessel was built for the Finnish Sunborn group in Malaysia and transported to Gibraltar onboard a heavylift ship, arriving in June this year. After unloading, Sunborn Gibraltar was moved to Gibdock for extensive hull blasting and coating work in the main drydock.

Gibdock partnered with Norwegian coatings supplier Jotun, applying the well-known Marathon system. Sunborn Gibraltar spent 26 days at Gibdock, including alongside time. Gibdock grit blasted the hull to SA 2.5 standard with the coating process taking around 18 days in drydock.

Currently at the final stages of being outfitted in Gibraltar, the floating hotel will offer a casino, spa and fitness centre, cocktail lounges, fine dining restaurants and a ballroom. Conference and event space is available for up to 540 delegates. Some 90% of the 189 guest rooms offer outdoor space, while all have full-height glazing to capture Mediterranean views.

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Press Release, December 17, 2013